According to Spain’s most famous fictional character, Don Quixote, “To surrender dreams — this may be madness.” At Monograms, we agree, which is why we’ve handled the headaches and hassles of traveling to Madrid for you—so you don’t surrender your vacation dreams! In fact, on this vacation, we've arranged your hotel reservations, sightseeing, and daily breakfast. Plus, a one-of-a-kind feature is our Monograms Local Host®, a friend, who is there throughout your vacation to answer questions, offer suggestions, help you navigate the city, and ensure your vacation is all you want it to be.Your vacation begins the moment you arrive in Madrid, as we can pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel. Your Local Host will help you get settled and present you with materials on the city, so you can begin exploring immediately. The next morning, after included breakfast, we’ll pick you up at your hotel for guided sightseeing that includes the must-see attractions, such as the Cibeles Fountain, an iconic symbol of Madrid since 1782; the Royal Palace, past residence of the Spanish monarchs; Parliament; and the Neoclassical Puerta de Alcalá monument, built by King Charles III in 1778. The highlight of your sightseeing tour is an inside visit to the Prado Museum, one of the world’s best-endowed museums with paintings by Spanish artists El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya as well as renowned masters such as Bosch and Rubens. You’ll also have a free day to explore on your own. You may want to take an excursion via the AVE train to magical Seville, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see its gothic cathedral and the Real Alcazar. Perhaps take an excursion to Toledo, one of Europe's oldest towns and where El Greco lived in the 16th century. You may just want to relax and stroll around El Retiro Park, which dates back to the 1600s and features a lake, rose garden, statues, fountains, and museums. Your Local Host will have plenty of suggestions. And did we mention your inside visit to the Prado Museum includes VIP access, which means you get to skip the line? After all, why wait in line with all the other tourists when you can be up close and personal with the Prado's treasures? It’s just another added feature you get with Monograms. Between that, the sightseeing we’ve arranged, and the hotel we’ve booked, your only job is to have fun. We’ve taken care of the rest, so you don’t have “to surrender dreams.”

Baggage Handling

Day-By-Day 2019

FEATURED HIGHLIGHT

DAY

1

MADRID, SPAIN

Bienvenido - welcome! Time to relax or begin exploring Spain’s capital and largest city. Your Local Host is on hand to help you maximize your time.

DAY

2

MADRID

Morning guided sightseeing features a visit to the palatial PRADO MUSEUM to admire one of the world’s finest collections of European art. Also see the Plaza de España, Parliament, Cibeles Fountain, Orient Square with the ornate Royal Palace, Parque del Buen Retiro, and the Neoclassical Puerta de Alcalá monument.

DAY

3

MADRID

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Included Hotels

Madrid

Novotel Madrid Center

Check-in Time: 13:00
Check-out Time: 12:00

Address:
C/ O'donnell 53Madrid, Spain

A stylish 790 room hotel located in Madrid's elegant Salamanca District with Free Wi-Fi internet access available throughout. Amenities include a gourmet restaurant, a chic bar featuring a large video wall, a fitness room and relaxing lounge areas.

Location & Highlights

Close to the majestic Retiro Park and just a few minutes walk from a metro station which will easily connect you with the rest of the city. Bustling cafés, designer boutiques, fine restaurants and designer tapas bars can be found in the surrounding area.

Hotel Amenities

Parking/Valet

Concierge desk

Fitness Room

Dry Cleaning

ATM

Elevator

Restaurant On-Site

Luggage Storage

Free WiFi

Gift Shop

Beauty Salon

Bar/Lounge

Room Amenities

The modern air-conditioned rooms all have hardwood floors and coffee/tea making facilities.

Room Amenities

Hair Dryer

Non-smoking Rooms

Climate Control

Desk

Window Opens

Phone

Room Service

Mini-bar

Air Conditioning

Coffee Maker

Internet Access

Disabled Access / Rooms

Complimentary Toiletries

Voicemail

In-Room Safe

Wake-Up Calls

Television

Cable/Satellite

Hotel Amenities

Other Hotel Optionss

Monograms offers an impressive choice of hotels pre-selected for their location, amenities and service. When booking your package check to see what other hotels are available for your dates. Some hotels may not be available for this package.

Madrid

H10 Puerta Del Alcala

Check-in Time: 14:00
Check-out Time: 12:00

Address:
Alcalá 66Madrid - Barrio De Salamanca, Spain

Located in Madrid's exclusive Salamanca district, next to the beautiful Retiro Park, this 146-room modern property enjoys a privileged central location with Free Wi-Fi access available throughout. The welcoming restaurant serves a selection of Mediterranean and international dishes and the garden view bar offers the perfect place to relax with drinks and snacks.

Location & Highlights

Just a stone's throw away from select boutiques with a great variety of traditional Spanish restaurants and tapas bars nearby, there is also a convenient metro stop which offers easy access to all the historic sights and of this vibrant capital city.

Hotel Amenities

Activities & Excursions

The following activities & excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Activities and Excursions are available for purchase on our MyMonograms site as soon as initial deposit or payment is received.

Madrid

Las Ventas Bullring

Step behind the scenes at Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, the largest bullfighting ring in Spain! Explore the ring, bull-holding areas, Bullfighting Museum, and more at your own pace.

Price Range: $

Lights & Shadows of Toledo with Tapas & Wine

Discover the dark and mysterious side of Toledo on this night tour featuring the ancient Jewish Quarter, the underground city, an Inquisition dungeon, and a tasting of wine and tapas!

Price Range: $$

Madrid Chocolate & Churros

From stone-ground chocolate and Spanish nougat to fruit liqueur and churros dipped in thick drinking chocolate, this is one sweet experience you¿ll never forget!

Price Range: $

Local Tips

Insider RecommendationsTips

Madrid

Madrid

Monograms provides traveler’s access to a Local Host®, so you will have someone on hand to answer those vacation questions pertaining to Madrid and Spain. No waiting in line at the concierge desk or trying to ask your waitress at breakfast directions to the shopping district. Simply ask your Local Host® about Madrid and you'll be on your way in no time. Plus, your Local Host® will share local Madrid insights and share suggestions for getting off the beaten path, leaving you more time to create lasting vacation memories that are yours alone.

Meet a Local Host® in Madrid

Hola! My name is Nieves. I was born and raised in Madrid, and I am in love with this city! It is full of beautiful things, and I will be happy to help you discover them. Also, conveniently nearby are several UNESCO World Heritage sites including Toledo and El Escorial.

Habsburg Period Walking Route

Ask your Local Host about this walking route to see architecture of the Habsburg Period. Start from Plaza Mayor to Plaza de la Villa and Mayor Street; stop by the old Arabic wall, return to Puerta del Sol, discovering along the way the old convents, churches and narrow lanes of the city that was the capital of a world empire in the 16th century. A stop at a café, a pub, or an old market turned into gourmet center, makes a charming stroll, ending at the Plaza de Oriente, next to the Royal Palace.

Bourbon Period “Age of Enlightenment” Walking Route

When Phillip of Anjou was chosen as the new Spanish King, with the name of Felipe V, in 1700, he became the first Bourbon king of Spain. With the support of his famous grandfather, French King Louis XIV, he brought new spaces, modern infrastructures, splendid arches, monuments, and fountains to the city. Puerta del Sol is a good starting point to see what the Age of Enlightenment gave to Madrid. Walk along Calle de Alcalá to Plaza de Cibeles, union of Recoletos and Prado Boulevards, then on to Plaza de la Lealtad and Cortes to Atocha. Your Local Host can point you in the right direction.

Literary Madrid Walking Route

Madrid has been the inspiration for some of Spain’s best literature. The literary district is a beautifully preserved 17th century area. Strolling along Huertas’ street brings to mind writers like Quevedo and Góngora. Cervantes lived in the area, and you can visit the beautifully preserved home of the great Lope de Vega nearby. Pass streets that bring memories of Echegaray and Moratín; and by Plaza de Jacinto Benavente in honor of the 1922 Nobel Prize winner for literature. Eventually reach Plaza Mayor, which has been immortalized in the novels of Benito Perez Galdós.

Green Madrid at El Retiro Park

Madrid is considered a "green city" with more than 617,000 acres of parks, and some beautiful historic gardens. One of the best options to enjoy Green Madrid is El Retiro (Park of the Pleasant Retreat) which dates back to the 1600s. It is the one of the largest parks of the city and belonged to the Spanish Monarchy until the late 19th century, when it became a public park. It features a lake, rose garden, statues, fountains, and museums. Around the lake, Retiro Pond, many puppet shows perform, and all manner of street performers. Rowboats can be rented and horse-drawn carriages are available.

Royal Palace

Built in the 18th century under Philip V, the Royal Palace of Madrid is a truly magnificent example of palatial architecture in Europe. The halls open to the public contain superb fresco paintings, tapestries, furniture, porcelain and all kind of sumptuous objects reviving the past. The Royal Armory and the Royal Pharmacy are also well worth a visit. Opening times: April 1st. to September 30th. 10:00-20:00 (19:00 ticket office); October 1st. to March 31st. 10:00-18:00 (17:00 ticket office); Closed occasionally due to official reception.

Church of San Francisco El Grande

A neoclassical masterpiece with the largest dome in Madrid, its walls and ceilings are decorated with superb frescoes. The church is designed with an unusual floor plan, the nave is circular and surrounded by chapels guarded by imposing marble statues of the 12 apostles; 12 prophets, rendered in wood, sit above them at the base of the dome. The San Bernardino chapel contains a fresco painted by Goya in the early stages of his career – unusually, Goya has painted himself into the scene (he’s the one in the yellow shirt on the right).

Reina Sofía Museum

Madrid's 18th century hospital was beautifully remodeled and converted into a museum in 1992, with two panoramic glass lifts standing out in the façade. Its official name is now the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and it's a treasure-house of contemporary and modern art. A highlight is the 20th century's most famous painting, Picasso's "Guernica". Another highlight is "Woman in Blue" also by Picasso. Miró and Dali are two other influential artists well represented in the collection. Mondays to Saturdays 10:00 - 21:00 Sundays 10:00 – 14:30 Closed on Tuesdays

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

An overview of art from the 13th century to the present day - in the nearly one thousand works on display, see first class works of international art created by two generations of the Thyssen-Bornemisza family, including the private collection of Baroness Thyssen. Tuesdays to Sundays 10:00-19:00 Closing day: Mondays

Shopping

Madrid is a shopper’s paradise. You can find everything from luxury goods and antiques to religious items. See its exclusive shops, boutiques, and art galleries. Your Local Host can suggest a walking route with specialty shops (some of them more than 100 year’s old), including a wonderful cake store which supplies the Spanish Royal Family. Typical souvenirs to take home include saffron, a bota bag (leather wine bottle), jamon Iberico (cured ham), a Flamenco music CD, olive oil, and hand-held fans.

Cuisine - Tapas, Cocido

There is a healthy pastime in Madrid: having your aperitif with a small side order of food, the tapa. This wonderful pursuit is one of the most important chapters in fully understanding and enjoying the pleasures of dining out in Madrid. Another traditional local food is Cocido madrileño, a chick-pea based stew, with a combination of different meats and vegetables - it is not a dish for the faint-hearted!

Local Wine & Sangria

Madrid boasts excellent local wines from the nearby regions of Arganda, Navalcarnero (historically famous for its’ rosé wines), and San Martin de Valdeiglesia. Sangria is a delightful and refreshing drink with origins that date back hundreds of years when the locals were searching for a flavorful drink that contained alcohol, so they set about making a fruit punch out of red wine.

El Botin Restaurant

The Guinness Book of Records calls this the world's oldest restaurant (est. 1725), and Hemingway was a frequent visitor. There are four floors of tile and wood-beam dining rooms. The specialties are cochinillo (roast pig) and cordero (roast lamb). It is rumored that Goya washed dishes here before he made it as a painter.

Opera, Zarzuela Operetta

Ask your Local Host for information about opera performances or the “Zarzuela” a type of Spanish musical play or operetta that started as a popular court entertainment in the mid 17th century.

Weather

To help you plan for your trip, below are weather averages for your destination. While we cannot predict the weather you will encounter while you are there, we want to help you plan for your vacation as best we can!

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* The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. Pricing may vary on this date due to hotel availability. If a price is crossed out, the new price includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some packages require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Monograms).